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Chose Optometry instead of Pharmacy?
Started by Bob_Barker27
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Bob_Barker27 said:
I used to be a pharmacy major, but I switched to optometry at the end of my junior year (basically at the last minute!) It had a lot to do with shadowing other professions and my own personal experience as being a patient in the optometrist's office. While working in a pharmacy as an intern, I decided that pharmacy wasn't for me, and that I would rather be on the other end--meaning I wanted to be the person who patients saw first. I felt that I could be more independent because I could make more decisions w/ the patient. With pharmacy, I felt like I would have little say with anything that has to do with the patient. I would be basically at the mercy of the insurance companies, and it seemed that doctors didn't really want much intervention or suggestions from the pharmacist. Whenever there would be a situation where a doctor needed to be contacted by the pharmacy, it appeared that the pharmacy was just a big annoyance to the doctor rather than helpful to the patient. So basically, I wanted to be able to be the one that the patient saw first, and I wanted to have a career where I could make appropriate decisions instead of having little to no impact on the patient and his or her treatment plan. This is simply my opinion based on my experiences, I hope it helps! 🙂 (And by the way--I am VERY happy with my decision. I can't wait to be an optometrist!!! Before I decided to change fields, I asked myself "Would I be happy being a pharmacist when I graduated and moved on to the real world?" My answer was a definite "No."!! Then I asked myself "Would I be happy being an optometrist?" As you might suspect, my answer was a definite "YES!") I encourage you to shadow professionals and research a LOT about pharmacy and optometry as well as any other professions that may interest you. Also, try asking yourself questions like I did. Maybe you'll find some answers from yourself! 🙂
leelee said:
I work as a pharm tech while I'm in grad school and leelee is exactly right about everything he's said.
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thanks for the response , leelee. One thing that concerns me about optometry is that there are only 17 schools that offer it, which seems to indicate a lack of demand for them. Also, opthamologists can perform the same service. An optometrist i talked to a few years ago was really negative about the occupation - he complained about all the paperwork and about how optometrists don't get any respect because they weren't medical doctors. He said that optometrists just end up referring most patients with eye disease to the opthamologists. It seems like it would be almost impossible to get into an optometry school because I live in South Carolina and the schools that offer in state tuition are UAB and the one in Memphis. UAB only takes about 3 students from SC max. Are the gross anatomy courses in optometry school as intense as medical school? I don't know if i want to poke around on dead bodies that much. I am kind of rambling here but any response would be appreciated.
Bob_Barker27 said:
I think that just because there are 17 schools that offer optometry doesn't mean that there isn't a high demand (I'm sure some states actually don't have that many optometrists, and therefore it might be a very good profession there). There are two schools in California, and while that's limited, I think it's understandable because realistically, that's putting out about 160 potential optometrists a year (in California alone). I live in CA, and it seems that although opthalmologists can also perform the same services, it's convenient for some people to see optometrists instead - there are a lot of optometrists around who are friendly and helpful, and definitely qualified as primary eye care physicians. I personally think it's great to just go in for a regular checkup with an optometrist who you can rely on, and if any problems arise, you can be confident that they will refer you to opthalmologists so that you can receive proper care. About the respect issue, I've heard it brought up a lot and I've also heard a lot about how bad the occupation is, but I think you should consider what you want out of a career and make the most out of whatever profession you choose. There are optometrists who have specialties, which sets them apart from others, and others also pursue PhDs and do research. Also, the flexibility and lifestyle of optometrists is a definite plus - if you decide to do private practice, you can have your own store and see patients when you are available. Plus, opthalmology comes after med school, so that's a bigger investment in time and money.
The fact that there are so few optometry schools is a not a function the employment demand for optometrists but is due to the fact that for the most part the average person only visits an optometrist evey one or two years while pharmasists, physician, and dental visits are much more frequent. For example, Canada only has two optometry schools, yet there is still plenty of demand for their services, in fact an optical manager here has already tried to recruit me, even before I've entered an optometry program!
As for opthamologists being able to provide the same services this is true. However, they are not specifically trained in some things that optometrist are specialists in; contact lens therapy, vision therapy, etc.. Also, opthamologists are very unlikely to be working in the same areas as OD's because they can make much more money doing those things that an optometrist is not trained for.
As for opthamologists being able to provide the same services this is true. However, they are not specifically trained in some things that optometrist are specialists in; contact lens therapy, vision therapy, etc.. Also, opthamologists are very unlikely to be working in the same areas as OD's because they can make much more money doing those things that an optometrist is not trained for.
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